


today is the day to learn something new

by the_problem_with_stardust



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 12 Days of Sterek, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Misunderstandings, POV Outsider, POV Outsider on Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Professor Derek Hale, Professor Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 11:06:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17058632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_problem_with_stardust/pseuds/the_problem_with_stardust
Summary: It was a privilege to work with an advisor as intelligent and esteemed as Dr. Derek Hale. That’s what Bekah told herself anyway, as the end of the semester drew closer and deadlines piled in.





	today is the day to learn something new

**Author's Note:**

> Took my last final today!!! Now the holidays can actually begin.
> 
> Written for 12 days of Sterek

 

It was a privilege to work with an advisor as intelligent and esteemed as Dr. Derek Hale. That’s what Bekah told herself anyway, as the end of the semester drew closer and deadlines piled in. At least he was engaged in his work, empathetic towards his students, and not a creep (which really was all you could hope for in academia sometimes).

But there was one small thing that about Dr. Hale that set Bekah on edge.

When she’d interviewed for a position as a graduate student in the Hale Lab, Dr. Hale had been polite and awkwardly charming in the way that laboratory-bound geniuses tended to be. Bekah had appreciated his straight forward approach to research and his dry humor.

Unfortunately, Dr. Hale wasn’t the nice guy he had appeared to be.

“Hey, Bekah! How’s the coding coming?” Dr. Stilinski asked, as he dropped into the empty seat beside her.

She forced a smile. “It’s going as well as can be expected.”

“Well, if you need anything, Derek knows were to find me.” Stilinski pulled two of the boxed lunches toward himself, already going through the contents.

Bekah had been privy to this ritual at every single catered event the department had. Stilinski would grab two meals and rearrange them to his liking. This time, one sandwich ended up tomato free, with the unwanted fruit piled into the other sandwich, and he swapped the small container of coleslaw for potato salad.

Dr. Hale hurried in a minute before the meeting was set to start, giving Stilinski a grateful smile as he sat down to take notes and eat his lunch. He even smiled at the coleslaw. Like a weirdo.

It was little things like that, coupled with the fact that the two were practically inseparable. Their offices were across the hall from each other and Bekah quickly discovered that if Dr. Hale wasn’t in his office, then he was in Stilinski’s.

At first, she through they were just close colleagues. Afterall, she had fond memories of the bonds she had built in her undergrad and the time she spent in friends’ cramped dorm rooms and tiny apartments.

But then she started noticing the not-so-friendly gestures. Like how Stilinski would slap Dr. Hale’s ass and say _‘go get ‘em’_ before a big seminar presentation. Or how on colder mornings, Dr. Hale would bring Stilinski coffee with a soft smile on his lips.

Then there was the time when she almost walked in on Stilinski rubbing Dr. Hale’s shoulders while they talked about their next publication idea. She’d back out of the room slowly, glad that neither of them had noticed. She could get the standard that she’d left later, but they could’ve at least closed the door.

And all of these occurrences just added onto the absolute anguish she felt whenever Dr. Hale answered his phone. Because it was usually later in the evening, with a gentle, “hey, babe.”

That poor poor person who married this guy. His acting was Oscar worthy for sure, and Bekah wondered if anyone else had managed to see through his ploy.

After the meeting, Bekah found herself lingering in Dr. Hale’s office. It was absolutely not her place to tell this man how to live his life, but Bekah didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to hold up under the pressure of this secret.

So she sat across the desk, in her usual spot, and fiddled with the standard she’d meant to grab a few days ago.

“Is everything alright?” Dr. Hale asked, looking concerned. “Stiles mentioned that he thought something was off these past couple of weeks.”

Bekah snorted, shaking her head.

Dr. Hale sighed. “If you don’t feel comfortable speaking with me, the graduate coordinator and mental health clinic both accept walk-ins.”

As if that would help her deal with the weight of _knowing_ that her professor was cheating on his spouse. And with a co-worker, no less.

“Actually,” she took a breath. “You may want to keep your affair more private.”

The look on his face practically confirmed her suspicions. He seemed shaken, caught off-balance by the fact she’d managed to see through his charade.

Not that it had been difficult, when he and Stilinski couldn’t keep their hands to themselves.

“Der? Bekah,” and speak of the Devil, “what’s going on?” Stilinski stuck his head through the office door.

It took a moment for Dr. Hale to get his bearings.

“I’m cheating on my spouse with you.”

Stilinski froze, that same expression of shock and disbelief playing across his features.

Then he started cracking up. To the point where he had to hold onto the doorframe to keep himself upright.

Angry on behalf of the poor soul who was stupid enough to marry Dr. Hale, Bekah shoved the standard into her bag. It wasn’t her place to tell them how to treat someone else, but damn. She’d really had high hopes for Dr. Hale.

Before she could push her way out of the door, Stilinski held up a hand.

“I’m sorry. Please,” he wiped his eyes. “Just let me show you something.”

He grabbed the wedding photo off of Dr. Hale’s desk and held it out. Bekah accepted it with shaky hands, then froze at the image of Dr. Hale standing proudly beside Stilinski, matching grins on their faces.

“And I don’t wear my ring,” Stilinski admitted, tugging a silver chain out of his shirt. “I would lose it between all of the glove changes and handwashing.”

Sure enough, a ring that matched Dr. Hale’s caught the light.

Bekah sat down hard. How. How had she not picked up on this.

But before the embarrassment could really set in, Stilinski dropped a hand onto her shoulder.

“Thank you, though,” he said, with that crooked smile. “I appreciate you defending my honor. Even if it was only from myself.”

On the other side of the desk, Dr. Hale was still hunched over. Stilinski snickered.

“I bet his texting his sister, trying to liven up her boring life with tales of his lurid affair.”

And Bekah couldn’t resist smiling back at his conspiratorial grin.

 

**Author's Note:**

> rebloggable link and edit coming soon
> 
> EDIT: [Here it is!](https://theproblemwithstardust.tumblr.com/post/181291095359/12daysofsterek-author-theproblemwithstardust)


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